160-carat rough opal to an unbelievable gem

I wasn’t expecting to turn this 160-carat rough opal to an unbelievable gem, but here we are!

When I started filming this weeks video, I planned to do a relaxed ASMR-style video of a large piece of rough that I would have to cut into a few different stones to make it worthwhile. Pretty straightforward, right? Well, the opal had a different plan.

Sometimes I feel like the more I plan out how I think an opal will cut, the more the opal wants to prove me wrong. As I began to grind more of the stone away, I could see that there was actually a gem hiding underneath.

I did not expect to cut something this beautiful today. It was the best kind of surprise.

When I inspected the rough it seemed as there there was very little chance of it coming out clean; sand looked like it took over the whole piece! The white cap was an indication of good color, but I didn’t have hope of the stone coming out as one piece.

Let me show you the whole process from rough opal to an unbelievable gem. Watch the moment I realise I’m on a winning streak and glimpse that gorgeous gem color shine through.

I decided to leave this gem rough on one side and smoothly polished on another. It’s currently an unreal 88-carat crystal opal with blue, green, and purple. A gorgeous opal comet that was a dream to unearth; I hope you enjoy watching.